For Degree Program Administrators:

Search Tips

For more precise search results when searching for an institution, try using a key term from the institution's name (e.g. Missouri when looking for the University of Missouri) or writing the entire name of the institution in quotation marks (e.g. "University of Missouri").

The Counseling Program at the University of Colorado Denver offers three programs leading to a Master of Arts degree: Couple and Family Counseling, Clinical Menatl Health, and School Counseling. The programs are 63 semester hours. They all involve a practicum (150 clock hours) in our campus counseling center and an internship (600 clock hours) in a placement in the community. Extensive use of live supervision is employed by faculty and clinic supervisors.

Working with families and children offers both challenges and opportunities to truly make a difference in the world. The obstacles of everyday life are so formidable that many people require assistance from qualified professionals. Family life education seeks to build strong, healthy families and strengthen family life from an informed educational perspective. The foundation of family life education is found in a broad array of topics including human development across the lifespan, human sexuality, resource management (e.g. time, money), parent education, ethical considerations and public policy. Those who possess expertise in family life education possess the ability to bring out the best in others and to help persons in need to attain a higher degree of life fulfillment.

The Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) Specialization at Queens College is part of the Family and Consumer Sciences Program in the Department of Family, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences (FNES). The program offers a Bachelors of Artsdegreein Family and Consumer Sciencesthatrequires the completion of 120-credits, including general college curriculum and courses specific to the program and specialization of Human Development and Family Science.

The Human Development and Family Science Specialization was approved for the Family Life Education Certification (CFLE) by the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) in 2005 and re-certified in 2010 and 2015. The certification attests that the curriculum includes appropriate course work for each of the 10 family life substance areas required for the CFLE designation. The mission of the Human Development and Family Science Specialization is to prepare students to have knowledge of the human development and family science concepts and theories, and to apply the current and emerging knowledge to enhance the well being of individuals, families and communities.

PROGRAM PURPOSE Within the larger purpose of Johnson University, the objective of the Graduate Counseling Program is to provide professional therapy education for individuals intending to serve in social service settings such as community mental health agencies, child and family service centers, K-12 school systems, local congregations, as well as in a private practice setting. The education received also prepares students to pursue doctoral education.

This is a great department where students can have experiences that will enrich their lives and prepare them for the future. Our programs provide the exciting opportunity to study individual development, family relationships and consumer issues as they affect each other, and to learn how to improve the quality of life for individuals and families in many settings. Our mission is to provide high quality undergraduate and graduate instruction to help students develop greater personal understanding and prepare for successful professional careers. For those who are exploring the professional options provided in this major, we are available to answer your questions and to help you make an informed decision.

Coursework in the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) major at Bridgewater College emphasizes diversity in families throughout the life cycle. The major includes complete coursework in human development across the life span, as well as family sciences. Two tracks are available: human development and family studies, or family and consumer sciences education.

The child development and family studies major at University of North Texas at Dallas provides an interdisciplinary degree through the university's School Of Human Services and Education. The program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skill set to become practitioners in the area of children and to examine how families function systemically.

Wilmington University's Master of Science in Applied Family Science, in the university's College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, was designed for those wanting to gain a greater understanding of children, youth, and families to provide family-centered education and intervention services in applied settings. Students will gain training in both the generation of research-based knowledge and its translation into effective programs and policies that can positively impact the well-being of children, youth, and, families.

Family Social Science is a multidisciplinary department committed to the generation and application of knowledge that enhances family functioning and well-being in diverse family settings. Scholarship is organized around four themes: Families and Diversity, Families and Economic Well-Being, Families and Mental Health, Families Across the Life Span, and Parent and Family Education. Research, teaching and outreach activities encompass a wide range of social, economic, and political issues that affect families locally, nationally, globally.

The School of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) prepares professionals who support families and individuals in meeting their human needs in the context of lifespan development. Approximately 600 undergraduate and 60 graduate students are enrolled in FACS degree programs in the areas of Human Development and Family Sciences, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Fashion Merchandising. The programs are based on an interdisciplinary approach, drawing upon the behavioral sciences, natura sciences, and the humanities. Students learn theories and their application to professions in nonprofit organizations, private practice, government, education, and business. All out-of-state students attending Northern Illinois University are able to enroll in all courses at in-state tuition rates.

Undergraduate Program in Human Development and Family Sciences (B.S.)

Students in the Human Development and Family Sciences (B.S.) program are prepared for a variety of family and child serving careers and/or future graduate study. Students may choose from three emphases including Family and Individual Development, Family Social Services or Child Development and may complete NCFR approved coursework needed for becoming a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE). Students in the Family Social Services emphasis may pursue coursework in preparation for taking the Illinois Child Welfare Licensing (CWEL) exam through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services. Each emphasis provides students with real world experience through both practicums, internships and undergraduate research activities. Students enrolled in the Human Development and Family Sciences program may participate in both the local student NCFR and NAEYC affiliates.

Graduate Program in Human Development and Family Sciences (M.S.)

Master's graduates are prepared for advanced practice and professional leadership as well as pursuit of doctoral work. The M.S. in Applied Human Development and Family Sciences (AHDFS) provides professional career enhancement for programming and administration in family social services and child development settings in for-profit, community and governmental agencies as well as the foundation needed for graduate work at the doctoral level. Career settings include youth work, gerontology, child life programs in hospitals, infant and child care programs, family support services, family life, and parenting education programs. Students that enroll in AHDFS's COAMFTE accredited Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy are trained to become professional marriage and family therapists. Students that enroll in AHDFS's Specialization in Leadership in Aging Studies are trained for employment in applied settings including becoming licensed nursing home administrators. Many students in the AHDFS program receive financial support in the form of Graduate Assistantships.

The Family Studies Program in the Department of Family Studies and Interior Design is approved by the National Council on Family Relations as offering coursework that leads to the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) designation. The mission of Family Studies is to enable families, both as individual units and generally as a social institution, to build and maintain systems of action which lead: (1) to maturing in individual self formation, (2) to encourage enlightened, cooperative participation in the critique and formation of social goals and means of accomplishing them, and (3) to enable individuals to be critically aware of consumer resources and their management as well as to develop the competence to base actions upon rational, responsible decisions.

The Family Science and Human Development Department provides students with a greater understanding of multiple ways of knowing families and children in various contexts. It enables students to critically analyze the literature and to keep abreast of trends in research. The faculty creates a learning environment that supports and encourages the development of forward thinking practitioners and educators who work with families and children in a variety of settings. The department of Family and Child Studies examines multiple ways of knowing families and individuals over the life course in various socio-cultural contexts. Power, diversity, and social justice are analyzed through an interdisciplinary and critical approach.

Family studies is one of the fastest growing programs at OC. Our academic programs equip students to serve in careers that support and nurture families. Whether in family counseling, child care, or social services, a graduate of the Family Science program is prepared to make a difference.

Oklahoma Christian offers two major programs in family studies. The B.S. Degree in Family Science is a pre-professional degree that emphasizes the preparing of students for graduate school. Those students who wish to pursue advanced degrees, at either the master's or doctoral level, are encouraged to pursue this degree. With the growth of marriage and family graduate school programs and the increasing influence of systems theory in psychology, the need to prepare students for study as marriage and family counselors is increasing.

The B.S. degree in Family Science/Child Development provides students with a broad, general approach to the study of the family. This degree is primarily intended for those students who do not wish to pursue graduate school. It examines family issues across the lifespan but adds emphasis in early childhood education.

The mission of the Department of Behavior Science at Utah Valley University is to prepare students for careers in the fields of anthropology, family studies, psychology, social work, sociology, substance abuse, and other related professions. Finding solutions to human problems involves the ability to apply academic theories to the real world. Behavioral Science students learn academic rigor in writing, critical thinking and analysis and integration of current scientific research. A multicultural perspective and respect for the range of individual differences are central to the department's mission. Insight, skill acquisition, and personal application are also important collateral aspects of a student's exposure to the behavioral sciences. Classes are frequently taught using experiential methods and collaborative assignments. Our department feels strongly about our interdiciplinary approach to our degrees. Our degrees are are structured around the Behavioral Sciences with students learning a little bit about each area while still choosing a specific emphasis in either Anthropology, Family Studies, Psychology, or Sociology. Our Bachelor's degree prepares students to work in the fields of human services, criminal justice, community/public relations, education, health, business, research, and prepares them to onto graduate school within their chosen field.

The mission of the Department of Human Development and Family Science is (a) to provide students with a comprehensive, integrated knowledge of families and individuals across the life span as appropriate preparation for careers in human services and/or graduate study, and (b) to conduct research on the variety of factors and contexts relevant to human and family development. The goal of the Department is to enhance the quality of life for individuals of all ages through teaching, research, and service in a manner consistent with the University's land grant mission. The Department recognizes the importance of an ecological approach to the study of human development and families, and utilizes a systemic approach in teaching, research, and service. Interactions of individuals and families with the economic, political, judicial, religious, and educational systems are emphasized. The Department also serves as a resource base for citizens of North Dakota in the area of individual and family life.

The Department of Behavioral Sciences offers students a broad-based liberal education, enabling them to function effectively in a world of rapid change, in careers in such fields as government, business, mental health, child care, and social services. The Department provides students with skills and strategies to understand individual and group behavior, to learn how to relate well to others, and to understand the relationships between social problems and the social environment. As one of the most diverse academic units on campus, the department offers courses in a variety of disciplines concerned with human behavior: anthropology; child care; human development and family studies; marriage and family therapy; psychology; sociology; and criminal justice. The Department has numerous resources including the Institute for Social and Policy Research, Couple and Family Therapy Center, and Riley Child Center.

The School of Family Life has over 1,000 undergraduate majors, either pursing a degree in Family Life or Family and Consumer Science Education. Degrees in Family Life are offered with an emphasis in either Human Development or Family Studies. The School has COAMFTE-accredited masters and doctoral programs in MFT. Masters and doctoral degree graduate programs are also available in Marriage, Family, and Human Development. In addition, the School administers the university-wide Gerontology Program. Besides offering high quality learning experiences for students, faculty are actively engaged in research on family and human development-related research.

Developing an expansive understanding of human development, relationship dynamics and the science and practice of family life education is the cornerstone of Spring Arbor University's program. Through this unique curriculum, students can refine their skills as they learn the ins and outs of assessment and analysis of human dynamics as well as skills in communication, interviewing and problem solving.

The mission of the Department of Family Consumer Science is to promote the well-being of people and the enrichment of quality environments, and to prepare men and women to assume essential professional roles in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse, global society.

The human development and family studies program at Warner Pacific College prepares students for careers in family life education. Other affiliated majors, under the Department of Social Science, equip students for work in counseling, psychology, social work, developmental psychology, urban studies and secondary social science teaching. Graduate school preparation is a significant aspect of the Warner experience in Social Science, as is educating students in a holistic manner with a liberal arts perspective. Most of our programs include internship experiences that give students hands-on learning to support theoretical frameworks. Our overall approach is one of strengths-based, systems-oriented approaches to human beings and their relationship networks.

Our mission is to foster an interdisciplinary scholarly environment that enables early childhood professionals, family service providers, and researchers in the field of family and child study to: cultivate and disseminate systematic information and grounded knowledge about the diverse nature of families in contemporary societies; and understand and critically respond to the dynamic complexities of human development across the lifespan foster leadership in addressing the multiple facets of early childhood development.

Family Life Education is an interdisciplinary field of study that draws from various disciplines such as psychology, education, sociology, communications, law and public policy, economics, theology, and home management. It provides an understanding of human development, family systems, and interpersonal relationships. Graduates will be equipped to provide instruction and guidance to others in the subjects of marriage, parenting, family dynamics, and human relations. This program will also equip graduates to build healthy marriages and families in their own personal lives.

The Family Studies and Social Work Department (FSW) is committed to the advancement of scientific knowledge pertaining to communities, families, children, adolescents, and the elderly. FSW seeks to apply that knowledge for the fulfillment of human potential through the prevention, treatment, and amelioration of social problems, and a focus on family strengths. Recognizing the complexities of contemporary, globalized society, the department dedicates itself to undergraduate and graduate education, research, and public service. In this endeavor, the department is committed to the promotion of values, ethics, and competency by advocating for a society that respects the dignity and achievement of all communities, families, and individuals.